LEA's left and right seem to be ditching the M&P...what for?

[Eurodriver]

I just learned from a buddy that Honolulu PD is replacing all of its M&Ps. A quick Google search shows many other large departments are or have followed suit (Texas DPS, for example) What's wrong with them? These things were touted as the next big thing (a "Glock Killer" ) when they were introduced but somehow they have failed to live up to the hype.

I was already heavily invested in Glocks, so I have limited experience with them and I am looking for insight. Regardless about your personal, potentially biased views on the M&P the facts are that several large departments have tossed the M&P after putting it into service for only a few short years. How can the bean counters justify that expense of taxpayer money without good cause?

Are LEA's just out blowing money needlessly playing with the newest toys they can find or are there serious shortcomings?

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

I am not defending them, but big departments are dropping Glocks, HKs, SIGs, etc all the time. I always figured the new chief just owed some kickbacks to somebody.

[T2C]

The company that made a department's current issue sidearm is not always low bidder when service pistols are replaced.

[Guns-up.50]

Keep in mind many cops and agencies are not gun guys so to speak. So more often then not these decisions are based on price, and popularity, and past exp.

[Kilroy]

Iowa State Patrol seemed to have durability problems on initial issue and that morphed into some problems for some command staff and others.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/sto...view/26978881/
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/sto...sfer/29297767/
and
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/sto...fety/31145037/

[Hmac]

Anytime a governmental unit spends money, there's politics involved. Not defending the M&P...I had one and didn't like it at all (crappy trigger and inaccurate barrel), but purchasing decisions are made with quality and performance only as secondary goals.

[WillBrink]

I think it's also along the lines of the old adage, make a good product and people will tell 10 of their friends. Make a bad product and they'll tell 1,000. You don't hear of the many PD that have no issues and keep their M&P, which I suspect a far larger % of those changing over to something else. When you factor in performance/quality secondary to purchase considerations, especially for larger PDs, and other factors, hearing of a PD changing over does not help decision making one way or another. Unlike other companies we can name (who blamed serious problems on "user error"), S&W does tend to listen to feedback, and each gen has gotten better, and S&W is well known for making it right if problems arise in most cases.

I still prefer my VP9

[Kain]

From what I just heard is that they are replacing the M&Ps with Glocks and slating the M&Ps for destruction. Not sale, up and destroying them.

Now, I have my personal opinions of the M&P platform, but will leave that as a personal opinion. But any department that is willing to up and shitcan over half a million in firearms has its head up its ass, I am sorry. Even if they sold them used as half what they paid for them they are still completely wasting money, and here I thought budgets were tight?

[Slater]

Everyone seems to be afraid of liability issues these days.

[26 Inf]

Much of the time today the distributor or manufacturer takes the agency's old weapons in trade. One local agency was looking at switch and got weapon, holsters, mag pouch, and light for $150.00 per set with their weapons in trade.

At one point some agencies were getting into the updated version of the manufacturer's weapon for almost straight across, I assume the profit was made reselling the trade in weapons.

Reference M&P, there were some magazine issues that got a lot of publicity, and then the accuracy thing. Here locally, the M&P really never took off. Worked with 18 new officers from various agencies today on the range - 15 Glocks, 2 Sigs, 1 M&P.